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and their followers. Not the maintenance of secret links unknown to the Council and other Hatas or to
the Fluvan representatives of the Commonwealth. Not even the development of their plans. No, it was
the fact that the alliance had been able to sustain and develop its purpose across clan lines. Identifying the
individuals who were present, he was able to count with pride the number of ancient rivalries that had
been set aside on behalf of the greater good.
Sesesthi-toa, for example. Her extended clan had been arguing and fighting with his own off and on for
hundreds of years. If some of the other Hatas among her clan knew she was working closely with a
Yuiqueru of the Jat, they would remove her from their inner consultations and demote her in status, or
worse. That they had both been able to overcome their mutual animosity was a source of great pride to
him though she still refused to touch tongues with him.
Yeruna-hua slipped into the vacant swing seat next to him as Aniolo-jat settled himself into position. By
the speed and direction of his swinging he indicated that he was present, aware, and ready for the
meeting to begin. Iwoko-jei declared for silence. As he was a Yuiqueru and not a Hata-tanasua, there
was no opening invocation, no katola-drinking ceremony. Though some were secretly sympathetic to
their aims, Aniolo-jat knew, no Hata-tanasua would openly bless such a gathering or its intentions. It
didn t matter, he knew. That could, and would, come later.
The time has come at last, Iwoko-jei was saying. He was so excited, he could hardly keep his tongue
coiled in a cheek pouch. All our planning, all our hard work, is about to blossom like hyreath flower.
Brothers and sisters, the day for us take back our world is at hand!
A united chorus of Hauea! followed the senior Yuiqueru s impassioned declaration. Next to him,
Waruna-hia stilled her chair.
The western and eastern trees are ready. When appointed time arrives, our fighters will attack every
Deyzara institution and business concern within our region. As instructed, we will try concentrate on
property. There will be some deathing. Is unavoidable. She smiled humorlessly. Many of those who are
with us are young, and hungry for killing.
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Aniolo-jat spoke up. Must be no massacres. Mass deathing may possible compel Commonwealth
authority to act. Is vital that they be kept out of this. Property destruction alone will not be enough allow
them act on Deyzara behalf.
That iss sso, declared a new voice. It was oddly inflected, and its mastery of S aku, while
commendable, tended to slide past certain syllables rather than fasten firmly on the necessary diphthongs.
Lissten well to the one called Aniolo-jat. Like the resst of you, he thinkss much as we do. A clawed
hand moved in a gesture of third-degree approval.
Iwoko-jei turned his seat in the direction of the voice. If our good friends have something to add, we
are all us here, as always, eager hear their words.
The speaker and a single companion stepped forward from where they had been monitoring the
Sakuntala who were operating the advanced communications equipment. They did not speak from the
traditional hanging chairs. Even if they had been inclined to try them, they would have found the swinging
seats uncomfortable. For one thing, their tails were much thicker than the slim tufted appendages
possessed by the Sakuntala. For another, the special suits they were forced to wear in order to survive
on Fluva might have caught and torn on a rough part of the chairs, and this the two strangers would not
risk.
Favoring as they did a desert climate with no more than 10 percent humidity, their lungs could only
tolerate the intense dampness of the Viisiiviisii for about an hour before saturation threatened to clog the
moisture-phobic alveoli in their lungs. Furthermore, they were particularly susceptible to many of the
airborne spores and eggs that exploded into the atmosphere whenever the interminable rain let up long
enough to allow local flora to propagate. Their special suits were lightweight, both to shed the rain and to
protect them from the fecund Nature in which they found themselves submerged. Most important of all,
the small but extremely efficient dehumidifiers they wore over their snouts both dried and warmed the air
they took into their lungs.
As you all know, the final promissed weaponss sshipment arrived lasst night and wass dissperssed
locally.
Both Aniolo-jat and Yeruna-hua acknowledged this with approving flicks of their extraordinary tongues.
Thessu RDDTYTW replied with a fourth-degree sign of concurrence. Next to him, Jallrii BQQHHJR
gestured satisfaction. The two AAnn officers were pleased that everything was going so smoothly.
Pleased because it meant that all their hard work over the previous several years was finally reaching
fruition. Pleased because its success would mean promotion for them both. Pleased because they were
advancing the aims of the Empire. But pleased especially because it meant the two reptilian operatives
might soon be able to make their final bows and gesticulations to this sodden hell of a world and return to
civilization and a decent climate, where they would once again be able to breathe air that did not congest
the lungs and stink of everlasting moisture. This whole world of Fluva stank of rot and decay.
Thessu continued, addressing himself to Aniolo-jat. Even though the Yuiqueru in question was not senior
among those assembled in the secret meeting chamber, Thessu and Jallrii had long since decided he was
the most clever and forward-looking among them. Which was another way of saying that of all the
smelly, waterlogged, rain-loving natives they were forced to deal with, he was the one who thought most
like an AAnn.
Once fighting hass begun, we will continue to ssupply you as before. As alwayss, we musst be
circumsspect in our work lesst we alert the local Commonwealth authoritiess to our activitiess. He
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accompanied his words with a second-degree gesture signifying importance. It iss vital that the nature of
the assistance we have been providing to you remainss unknown, at leasst until all of our mutual goalss
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